Bring Me From the Darkness
by Crystal-Wings-Take-Flight
Summary: The black blood in Crona, Soul, and Maka has awakened something in them. They'll have to figure out how to stop it before the madness swallows them whole...
1. Nightmare

**~First of all, this fanfic does not follow the original story line. Just thought you should know.~**

I drifted through the murk, my mind sleepy. _Where am I? _I blinked slowly. _It's so quiet...What_'s _going on here? _I tried to breathe, but I found the air around me suffocating. Terrible thoughts bubbled and circled around in my head. _Power...I need more power! No...that's not right? What's happening? HELP ME! _My mind collapsed in itself. I found myself screaming, holding my head in my hands.

"Maka?" An outside voice barely made it through the murk. I grasped onto it; my only lifeline. _You don't need anyone! _A voice inside my head yelled at me. _All you need is power...lots of it! I can- _"Maka!" Someone shook my shoulders, and I realized that it was just a dream. My mind was so sleepy...it just wanted to stay in this state. I fought through my tiredness. I held onto that voice, pulling myself out of the madness.

I woke with a start, my throat sore. Soul stood over me. He sighed in relief and pulled me into a hug.

"You okay?" he asked. I nodded, fighting back tears. _What just happened? _He stepped back, giving me room to breathe.

"I-It was j-just a nightmare," I stuttered. "I'm fine," Silence settled between us. What more did I have to say?

"Okay," he reluctantly left, shutting the door behind him with a soft _click_. I didn't want him to leave. I didn't want to be alone with the darkness.

**~Thanks for reading! :) ~**


	2. The Three of Us

I stayed awake the entire night, afraid to fall asleep.

Morning light streamed through my window, illuminating my room. I got up sleepily and put on my regular clothes. _All I have to do is stay awake until I can talk to Professor Stein in private. He might know what to make of the nightmare. _I walked down the hallway, my school bag slung over my shoulder. Soul was waiting on the couch, tapping his knee impatiently.

"Where's breakfast?" he asked. "And why do you look like a wreck?"

"Maka-chop!" The book made perfect contact with his skull.

"_Sorry_," he rubbed his head. "By the way, did you sleep well?"

"I didn't sleep." I said softly, staring at the ground. "I was...afraid that it would happen again."

"Maka..." he sighed. "You know that I'll protect you." I nodded, feeling guilty for making him go through so much trouble. _He shouldn't be so worried about me..._

During lunch, I sat with Soul, Crona, and Death the Kid. Black Star and Tsubaki were gone on a mission.

"It's quite odd...Professor Stein has never missed a day of school before now." Kid noted.

"Weren't you going to ask him about that nightmare you had?" Soul added, and everyone turned to me.

"What nightmare?" Crona asked, concerned. He had barely touched his food, and Soul was eyeing it hungrily.

"It's nothing," I replied. We ate the rest of our lunch in silence.

After school, Soul and I went home. It was Friday, and as tradition goes, it was movie night. I looked through the DVD cabinet.

"How does 300 sound?" I asked, knowing that Soul would comply. _This movie should keep me awake..._I was still afraid of the madness that constantly beckoned me. I knew, somehow, that it was still there. Waiting to take over. I put the DVD in and plopped down on the couch. Soul came in with a bag of popcorn and turned the lights off. He sat down next to me, a worried look on his face.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I nodded, smiling to prove my point. He shrugged and focused his attention on the movie.

Near the end of 300, I started to give in to fatigue. _I'm so tired..._I closed my eyes, allowing myself to relax for a moment. _This is nice..._I realized what was happening and pinched my arm. I forced my eyes open. _You'll have to sleep eventually. _The voice inside my head mocked me. No matter what I wanted, it was true. There was no way I could win. I closed my eyes and relaxed my breathing. _I'm sorry if I worry you, Soul..._I slumped over and lost consciousness.

This time, the murk was a lot more bearable. _I'll be able to control this madness soon enough. You'll see._ I had hope, if just a little. _That's because I'm working on your friend. _The voice snickered. _What?_ I panicked. I felt pain, and I used that to pull myself awake.

I woke up to find myself leaning on Soul. His arm was around me, his fingers digging into my shoulder. His face was contorted with pain.

"Soul, wake up!" I shook his shoulders. His eyes shot open, and he gasped. "Soul, are you-"

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

"Who could be here this late at night?" I got up and walked over to the door. I hesitated before opening it slowly. Crona stood outside, shivering in the cold. Snow stuck to his clothes, to his hair...He was freezing.

"C-Can I stay with you guys?" he stammered, and I quickly pulled him into the apartment.

"It's too cold outside!" I exclaimed, getting a blanket. I wrapped it around his shoulders. "The _one _time it snows in Nevada..." I mumbled. Actually, it would snow at least a few times every winter. Unfortunately, though, some years it didn't snow at all.

"What the hell is going on?" Soul rubbed his eyes groggily. Crona and I sat down next to him.

"Well, there's a problem..." Crona replied, staring at the floor. "I'm going insane again, and I'm afraid you guys are, too."


	3. A New Roommate

"You see...I overheard Professor Stein's conversation with Sid. He said that we-the kids with black blood-are still not free from the curse it brings. We have to somehow fight it before the madness takes over. If we don't, we'll die." Crona explained. "And s-sorry about having to stay here. I'll just sleep on the couch." He curled up in the blanket.

"That's okay. We should probably all stay out here to look after each other." I replied, looking to Soul for affirmation.

"Yeah, that's a good idea." He leaned back on the couch. I allowed myself to relax once more. Being with other people; it gave me the peace that I needed. _I'm safe here..._

The murk surrounded me. It was dangerously close, but it didn't touch me. _I could take your mind in an instant. If you comply to my wishes, I won't have to hurt you._ I frowned. _What do you want? _The voice chuckled, a sound that sent a chill down my spine. _My, my...l__ook who's eager to join me. It's a simple task, really. Just defeat Crona and eat his soul. _My heart stopped. _No...I'll never do it! I'__d rather die!_ The murk wrapped itself around me. _I'm afraid you don't have a choice. I'm going to win either way. I'm being rather generous, don't you think? I'm offering you control over your own mind. I'm offering you a chance to still have free will. Now, I'll just have to take over your mind._ The murk blinded and deafened me. I screamed, hoping that someone would hear me. Arms wrapped around me, but I didn't know who or what or if it was just the murk. My head exploded with pain.

"Maka..." someone's voice whispered. I stopped screaming, finding peace in that voice. The murk cleared a little. I tried to pull myself out. I held onto that person, using them as my safety net. I woke up with a start. Crona patted my back comfortingly. He pulled away from the hug. He stared at me, a serious expression on his face. "What happened?"

"I-It wanted me t-to k-kill you, a-and..." I sobbed. Crona reached up and cupped my cheek with his hand. He wiped away a tear that was sliding down my face.

"Don't cry..." He said softly. A silent moment passed, each of us staring at the other. Suddenly, he pulled his hand away, blushing. He stared at the ground. I looked over my shoulder to see Soul sleeping peacefully.

"How is he _not _awake?" I grumbled, putting my hands on my hips. "An airplane could crash into the apartment and he'd still be asleep."

"Actually, you didn't make a sound." Crona replied. I furrowed my brows in confusion. _But I screamed...Isn't that how he knew to wake me up? _I shrugged it off. I already had enough confusion to deal with. "We should probably wake him up before the madness can get to him." I nodded, reaching over to do just that. Before I even touched Soul, he jumped up. He glared at Crona. His arm turned into a blade, and I stepped in between the two.

"Soul?" I grabbed his shoulders. He seemed to look straight through me. "Please don't do this..." He pushed me to the side.

"I'm doing this for your safety, Maka." he raised his arm.

"Snap out of it!" I shouted. It all happened so quickly, and needless to say, blood was spilled that night.


	4. We're All Mad Here

**~Just to warn you, this chapter is a bit loopy. :P~**

I cried out in pain, slumping to the floor. My arm had a huge gash in it, and it was bleeding badly. Soul's eyes widened. His arm turned back to normal.

"Maka!" he ran over to me. He looked down at his hands, which were covered in my blood. "I-I-"

"It's okay," I smiled weakly. "It's just the madness..." I felt dizzy, extremely dizzy.

"I'll get some bandages..." Soul left the room. I turned around to see Crona, his eyes wide. I stood up. _That _was a bad idea...I crumpled, Crona catching me.

"I-I don't know how to deal with this." he stammered.

"I'll be fine..." I murmured into his shirt before losing consciousness. That was the last time in a long time that I actually had a dreamless sleep.

When I woke up, sunlight streamed through the window. I squinted, my eyes adjusting. I looked at my arm to see a bandage wrapped carefully around it. _I wonder how Soul is doing..._He had always pointed out to me that his sole duty was to protect me. _I hope he doesn't feel too bad about it._ My thoughts were interrupted when I heard this strange, slightly melodic sound coming from the kitchen. I peeked my head around the corner and saw a horrifying sight. Well, more like _heard _a horrifying _sound_. _Are Soul and Crona...trying to harmonize?_

"_There is a song, you're trembling to its tune, at the request of the moon._" Soul sang. I could barely hear Crona's subtle harmony underneath. His voice would've been beautiful, if he wasn't terribly off-key. _Does he even _know _how to harmonize? And why the hell are they singing together?_ "_Licking her chops, she looks at the lunatics. She needs another fix." And what the hell are they singing about?!_ Soul stopped abruptly.

"Crona, you _suck _at harmonizing." he sounded drunk, his speech slurred. There was a wild look in his eyes. _It's the madness..._

"W-Well, you suck at the melody, which is ten times easier to sing." Crona crossed his arms over his chest. _Wow...that's the most insulting thing I've ever heard him say_.

"Maka, who's the better singer?" Soul turned to me. I stayed silent, not knowing what to do. _How far has the madness rooted itself in their brains?_ I knew it was only going to get crazier and crazier around here...and that I would be pulled down with them..."Well, I'll _prove _that I'm better. Let's start with the chorus."

"_I'm only jokin', I don't believe a thing I said. What are you smokin'? I'm just a f-"_

"Maka-chop!" I slammed the book on Soul's head, and then Crona's.

"S-Sorry bout that!" Crona laughed crazily. _Not even a Maka-chop worked..._I was about to try to get them to snap out of it when I started laughing with him and I _couldn't __stop_. My head was spinning.

"S-Stop it...guys..." I said in between breaths. "P-Please...snap out of it..." They wouldn't listen to me. I gathered nearly all of my strength and shouted, "Snap out of it!" They both flinched. We all calmed down, little by little.

We ate lunch in silence, all of us fighting our own mental battles. I was the one who broke the silence.

"How are we going to defeat this?" I whispered, staring at my plate. The two boys looked at me.

"I-I don't know..." Crona trailed off. Not another word passed between us until after dinner.

Soul was acting...just..._out of it_...he kept mumbling to himself and shooting both Crona and I death glares. I asked him what was wrong.

"Oh, it's _nothing_, my _darling _meister." he cackled as if he was mocking me. "I'll tell you _later_." He got up and went to his room.

"Should we go check on him?" I asked Crona, but he just shook his head, lost in thought.

Later that night, Soul approached me. He wore a fake, creepy smile.

"My _darling _meister, do you _care _about me? Just as a friend, at least?" he asked. I nodded slowly, wondering what this was about. "Good, I thought so, _darling_. Do you want me to become a _death_ _scythe?_" I nodded again. "Well, then help me defeat Crona so I can eat his soul. It will be a huge step for me..."

"N-No! I can't do that!" I shook my head, backing away from him.

"But don't you _care _about me?" he walked towards me. He loomed over me, his arm now a blade. He rested it against my cheek. "_Please _help me..." I shook my head again, and he frowned. "I guess I'll have to eat _your _soul, first." He raised his arm, ready to strike. A large sound erupted, metal clanging against metal. Crona looked up at Soul defiantly.

"Don't you _dare_ hurt her."

**~Awww, Crona got all heroic! Sorry, I couldn't help it! By the way, the song that Soul and Crona were singing was I'm Only Joking by Kongos. Anyways, thanks for reading! :)~**


	5. Crona's Crusade

**~By the way, I forgot to give just-waiting-for-the-TARDIS credit for helping me through writer's block. Thanks so much! :)~**

I looked up at Crona in shock. He had a fire in his eyes, a determination, that I had never seen before.

"How can you fight against your own meister?" he said angrily, "How can you hurt the very person that you were meant to protect?" That was when I realized what got him so fired up. I remembered Ragnarok, how he had bullied Crona relentlessly. _I guess something in him just...snapped._ Soul pulled back, ready to deal another blow.

"Aren't meisters supposed to help their weapons become death scythes?" his voice was different. It was raspy and aggressive. _It's the voice of the madness..._He lunged forward, Crona using his sword to defend himself._ He's determined, but I don't know if he's willing to hurt Soul. _The two battled, but none of them were getting anywhere.

Suddenly, Soul threw an unexpected punch. It connected with Crona's jaw and sent him flying.

"Crona!" I shouted. I turned to face Soul. "Soul, _please _stop this..." He walked over to me, smirking. He picked me up by my collar so we could see eye-to-eye.

"Are you ready to die?"

"_Please _don't do this..." I whimpered. He set the blade on my chest, ready to puncture my heart. I was terrified. For a moment, I thought that I was going to die. Silent tears streamed down my cheeks. _W-What should I do?_ I was about to be killed by the person that was sworn to protect me, and my heart nearly broke. "D-Don't you c-care about me?" I whispered through clenched teeth, my voice shaky. I closed my eyes. "P-Please come back, Soul..." There was a moment of unbearable silence. Then, Soul's grip on me loosened, and I fell to the floor. He looked at me with wide eyes before walking over to the door. "W-Where are you going?"

"While I'm still sane, I'm going to leave. I don't want to risk hurting you anymore." he said softly, opening the door.

"Soul, wait!" I cried, but I was too late. Soul was already gone.

**~I'm sorry it's so short! :( Anyways, I will try to post the next chapter ASAP. After all, I need some practice writing a lot before Camp NaNoWriMo. I'll have to write about 1,600 words per day! :l ~**


	6. Missing Scythe

**~Gah! Sorry that this chapter is so late!~**

I stared at the door, my eyes wide. _No...this can't be happening..._I wanted _all _of us to survive this. However, at this rate, Soul was going to go completely mad. _I want to go after him..._The madness held me down, immobilizing me. I looked at Crona. He was in the same state. He had a sad and distant look in his eyes.

"Don't give up..." I murmured before fatigue forced my eyes shut.

This time, I wasn't afraid of the murk. _Let's make a deal_. I thought, and the voice cackled. _What would that be, dearie? _I glared and crossed my arms over my chest. _If I can defeat you in battle, then leave all of us alone. If I can't...you can have complete control over me. _There was more laughing. _You think you can defeat ME? Well, well, dearie, it looks like you have quite the ego. I'll take you upon your bet. In twenty-four hours, you will see my true form._

I woke up and saw that Crona was already awake. _Has he slept at all tonight?_

"What...what time is it?" I mumbled.

"It's 1 a.m.. Today's Sunday," he replied sleepily, getting up from the couch. "Why do you ask?"

"In twenty-four hours, the madness will show its true form." I said, not telling him all of the details. If Crona knew what bet I had made, he would've stopped me. I wouldn't let that happen. I knew that I had to keep my word and not back down. He looked at me, a look of confusion and...something else...on his face. I couldn't quite decipher it. Crona walked into the kitchen silently and came back with two glasses of water. He placed one of them in my hand, not bothering to say a single word. "Are you o-" he turned his head, and his eyes...they were glowing red. A wicked smile spread across his face. My heart skipped a beat. "Crona..."

"Is anything _wrong_?" He set his glass of water down. Suddenly, he was behind me. "Can I tell you a secret?" he whispered in my ear. I jumped, my heart racing. I turned to look at him. "I l-" I wrapped my arms around him. He went completely still, and silence filled the room.

"Please come out of the madness..." I whispered. I couldn't take it anymore! The madness kept tearing us apart, and there was nothing I could do! My body shook, but no tears came. I was so worried that I had lost him when I felt Crona's hand on my head. I looked up at him.

"I-I'm sorry," he said sadly. A question tugged at the back of my mind.

"What was the secret that you were going to tell me?" I asked, and Crona suddenly jumped ten feet away from me, staring at the ground.

"I-It w-w-was nothing! Nothing at all!" He blushed furiously. I decided not to question it any further. I let out a sigh, hundreds of thoughts swirling through my mind. I spoke when I was finally able to grasp one.

"How are we going to get Soul back?" I asked, looking at the door. "If I leave right now and try to find him, will you stop me?" I wanted him to say 'yes' so badly. I...I wanted to know that he cared. I knew that it was selfish of me, but I just had to ask.

"No," he replied, and my heart sunk. "I-I would help you." I looked up at him in surprise. _So does that mean that you care? D-Do you...love me? _I quickly banished the thought from my mind. I wouldn't allow myself to hope, not yet. I nodded, walking over to the door. He looked at me, a confused expression on his face.

"What are we waiting for?" I gave him a wry smile. "Let's get Soul back."

**~I'm sorry that this is so short, but I've been having writer's block and I didn't want to keep anyone waiting. Anyways, if you have any questions, comments, or even suggestions, just review or PM me. Thanks for reading!~**


	7. Falling Apart

**~SernaJ, they don't know where Soul is, but they are going to search for him anyways. Sorry if you were confused. :( Anyways, I will bear the burden of writing awesome moments in a perfectly asymmetrical chapter...7... :P~**

I opened the door, cold wind blowing my sandy blonde hair into a frenzy. _I hope that Soul doesn't freeze out here..._I thought bitterly as I wrapped my black trench coat around me. Crona followed close behind.

"W-Where do you think he could b-be?" He stuttered, shivering in the cold. I shook my head and continued down the street. I had no idea where the madness would take Soul, and I didn't want to think too much about it. I just wanted him back. He was my weapon, after all. He had risked his life for me so many times. Now was the time for _me_ to protect _him._

After hours of searching, no traces of Soul were found. I leaned against a tree and tried to hold back tears. _What if he gets hurt or...goes mad for good?_ The very thought made me panic. _Please don't let that be the case..._

"M-Maka, we should probably head back to the apartment. I-I'm sorry a-about Soul." Crona stared at the ground. "B-But someone is bound to find him soon enough. We need to get ready for the madness i-in the meantime. I-I'm sorry." He had a hard time with the suggestion, but I realized that he was right. We needed to get ready for the difficult battle, both physically and mentally. After all, we would be fighting against madness itself.

Back at the apartment, I felt utterly useless. I didn't feel like we were making any progress at all. I hadn't learned anything new about the madness, and time was running out. Anxiety started to clutter my mind. _What if I can't defeat the madness? _It pained me to think of what I might do under the influence of darkness. _What i-if it makes me k-kill Crona? I __d-don't want t-to lose him! _A terrible thought entered my mind. _W__-What if I run away like S-Soul did? Then I won't have to hurt anyone..._I gripped my pigtails, so frustrated that I wanted to rip them out. _But then I'll leave Crona all alone, and-_

"Maka?" Crona stood in front of me. I hadn't noticed him the entire time. "I-I think you're really upset, a-and...I don't know how to deal with that...so please be happy..." He trailed off, staring at the ground. A small smile tugged at the edge of my lips. I wrapped my arms around him, much to his surprise.

"Thank you," I whispered. He hugged me back, my heart filling with warmth. We stood there in silence until I was able to clear my thoughts.

At lunch time, I made both Crona and I sandwiches with the last food that I had. I sighed. _I'm going to have to go to the stor__e in this condition..._After eating, I got up from the table and grabbed my bag.

"Crona...we're going to have to go to the store." I said. "We'll leave once you've finished eating."

Once he was finished, we left the apartment and started our walk to the store. I had so many unanswered questions. _What if they lock Soul up? What if we all go mad forever? What if Crona doesn't love me? What if-wait, did I seriously just worry about whether or not Crona loves me? This is not the real issue here! _I started arguing with myself. _Well, if I can't sort out my feelings for Crona, how-_

"W-What are you thinking about?" he asked. My heart skipped a beat. I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't. My paranoid mind wouldn't allow it.

"I-It's nothing..." I blushed, avoiding eye contact. He gave me a small smile, making my heart beat rapidly. _D-Does he know?_ "So, what's your favorite color?" As soon as I said it, I smacked my palm against my forehead. _I'm such an idiot! Now he's going to be suspicious that I changed the subject!_

"Um...white." he replied, catching me completely off guard. I had thought that it would be some depressing color...like gray...or black...

Our grocery shopping was mostly uneventful. That is, until Black Star started making a scene.

"All shoppers must bow down to the mighty Black Star!" he laughed, and I wondered if _I _was the one that was going insane. _Wait...I thought that he and Tsubaki were on a mission..__.Well, I guess they came back._

"MAKA-CHOP!" I hit him with extra force, because 1) I was extremely stressed out, 2) He was being a complete idiot, and 3) He was embarrassing the nicest girl on earth. No one will ever understand how Tsubaki deals with him.

When Crona and I came back from the store, my mind was exhausted. I was ten times more anxious that I was that morning. _The clock is ticking...I don't have that much time until I'll have to fight the madness! It's 2:00, so I only have 11 hours to sleep and get ready! I really don't want to deal with this...Why can't I just disappear? Everything is falling apart, and I don't even have Soul by my side!  
_

"Maka, what's wrong?" Crona asked, a worried expression on his face.

"Soul is gone, and it's all my fault..." I trailed off, staring at the ground. A lump rose in my throat. "A-And...there's nothing I can do about it!" I sobbed. "I-It's all m-my fault, and n-now-"

"I-It's going to be okay." He tried to be comforting. However, my troubled mind wouldn't take that for an answer. I shook my head.

"But...what if we're insane forever?" I replied, tears streaming down my cheeks. He tried to give me a hug, but I pushed him away, my heart ripping in two. My eyes widened when I saw his hurt expression. I froze. "I-I'm so s-sorry! I-I don't want to push you away! I really must be going insane..." Crona tugged on his sleeve nervously before his expression turned serious. He walked towards me and cupped my face in his hands. He tilted my chin up, making my heart race. Warmth filled my entire being. He gazed into my emerald eyes. He leaned over slowly, our lips barely touching. My eyes fluttered shut. The world stopped spinning. Time seemed to stop. Just with one simple touch that was barely a kiss, he was able to take my breath away. He pulled away before saying,

"Then let me be insane with you."

**~...*giggles*...*tries to hold in girly squeals of happiness*...*fails*...Anyways, this is my longest chappie ever! Thanks for reading! You guys are the best! Over 500 views...I'm ecstatic! :D~**


	8. The Encounter

**~The encounter...sounds mysterious... :P Anyways, July will be a tough writing month for me so I probably won't be able to post frequently... :(~**

We stared at each other for what seemed like forever. A blush spread across Crona's cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry!" he jumped back, much to my disappointment. "I-I c-couldn't help myself..." he stammered, making me laugh.

"Crona, it's okay..." it was my turn to blush. "I like you, too."

"Okay," he sighed in relief. "I-If you didn't like me, I wouldn't know how to deal with it..." I smiled warmly at his comment.

"Well, you don't have to worry about it. I'll be here for you." I replied. His face lit up with happiness. _How cute...too bad you'll have to kill him when I take over. _I was startled by the voice, knowing that the madness was getting worse. _No! I've defeated the murk, and I can do it again! _Crona looked at me, a worried expression on his face.

"A-Are you okay, M-Maka?" he asked. _You think you're so strong, Maka...Sorry to disappoint you, but the murk was just the beginning. It's about to get a lot worse..._Suddenly, a hand gripped my throat. I glanced at the mangled and bloody hand that was detached from its body. I screamed, trying to claw at it. Many more of them surrounded me. They held me down and tore at my flesh. I fell to the floor. "M-Maka, w-what's going o-on?" Crona knelt beside me, gently holding my wrists. My body trembled with fear_. __Time to sleep..._My thoughts blurred as I was pulled down under.

This time, the murk stuck to me like glue. I couldn't move, and it felt like I was suffocating. Claustrophobia gnawed at my mind as I struggled to rip the maddening substance off of me. _Don't fight it...embrace it...because soon you will be mine...Time flies when you're asleep, and your time is almost up._ I tried to breathe, but my lungs felt like they were about to collapse. A loud, obnoxious chiming noise shook my dream. _The clock strikes one...I'm waiting for you..._

I bolted awake to find myself face-to-face with the most terrifying man I had ever seen. If you thought Asura was creepy...

"Heeellooo, Maka _dear_," He pinched my cheeks. His grip was so strong that he could probably rip the skin off of my face. Well, that might explain why patches of muscle protruded out of his face where skin should be. "Sooooo, how are thanggssss?" He said, his voice slurred. I wrinkled my nose as I tried not to gag on his sickeningly sweet breath. He stroked my cheek creepily. I threw a punch, hearing a loud _crack _as it connected with his nose. His head jerked to the side, and he smirked. "Yooouuuuuuu," he pointed to me. "cannot defeaaaaaaat moi!" he gestured to himself arrogantly. He lunged forward and tightened his hands around my neck.

"C-Crona..." I gasped for air, wondering where he was. _He wouldn't...abandon me...would he?_ My heart felt like it was on the verge of being torn apart. Like it was pumping poison through my veins.

"Heee left yaaa to save his own assssssss." the madness hissed, smiling at my devastated expression.

"No..." I choked. The man leaned closer to me, our noses touching. He stared straight into my eyes.

"Welcome to the madness, Maka..." Darkness surrounded me as I struggled to get out of his grip. "_You're mine_." I couldn't stop a maniac laugh from escaping my lips. A dizzying sensation came over me, and I collapsed.

**~Thank you for reading! :)~**


	9. Hide and Seek

**~Have you noticed that this story is only, like, 6,270 words? I just feel like I'm not writing enough...~**

I woke up in an unknown house, a large grin tattooed on my face. Madness flowed through my veins with every heartbeat. I sat up in the large bed and stretched. A man entered the room, and I instantly recognized him as the madness in human form. I decided to name him Mr. Maddy.

"Wannnnaaaa play a gameeee?" he asked. I nodded enthusiastically. "Soul and Crona are both in this mansion. I turned themmm to the madness as wellll, so I brought them heerrre. I've decided that we're gonnaaa play hide and seek. Except when you finnnnddd them, you kiiiillllllllll them!" he cackled. I smiled at the thought of their blood on my hands. I shook with excitement. "Well, whhaaatttt are you waaitinnngg for?"

"I'm gonna win!" I giggled as I ran past Mr. Maddy. I dashed down the hallway and down the stairs. "Ready or not, here I come!" I skipped down a hallway, not paying much attention to my surroundings. Suddenly, I was pulled into a room, the door slamming shut behind me.

"Long time no see," Soul whispered into my ear. He held me in a headlock, his scythe arm on my neck. "I can kill you right now...or...we can team up and kill Crona together."

"I'd like to see the look on his face when we kill him..." I snickered. "Serves the bastard right! _He betrayed me!_" The last part came out as a strangled scream. My heart throbbed in my chest, threatening to shatter.

"_Shhh_..." Soul stroked my hair. "Forget the pain...the betrayal...forget _him_." He released his hold on me. I turned around to look at him. His crimson eyes shook with madness; his permanent grin showed off his spiky teeth. Seeing him like this momentarily snapped me out of my crazed state.

"You're like this...because of me..." I blinked back tears.

"It's _my _fault! I'm a _monster_!" he laughed maniacally. "Can't you see?! This is _all my fault_! I'm the reason that-"

The door creaked open, causing both of us to flinch. We saw a flash of pink before it disappeared.

"Crona..." I trailed off, trying to hold myself together. Soul shook his head at me. He turned into a scythe, and I caught him effortlessly. My madness came back, blurring my thoughts. "Come here, Crona!~" I sang, skipping down the hallway. I laughed at the thought of him trying to explain why he abandoned me. _Nothing will satisfy me...except for your blood on my hands..._

Suddenly, a weight came crashing down on me, pinning me to the floor.

"I'm here, Maka!~" Crona giggled. He had his knees on my legs and his hands on my arms. I was immobilized. He brought his sword to my throat, but he hesitated. He stared at me as if he was unsure of what to do. I took that opportunity to throw him off of me and get back up. I swung Soul at him, ready to chop his head off. He blocked all of my attacks, but not once did he try to hurt me. "I can't bring myself to kill you, but you so readily want to spill my blood! And for what? Because you believe the words of madness itself! Isn't that hilarious?! Not once did you wonder if he was _lying about me_!" He yelled. "But know this...I will-"

The sound of clapping echoed across the large room. We both looked up to see Mr. Maddy watching us from atop the stairs.

"Very good..." his slurred speech and silliness was gone. "Because you all have outstanding skills, I will let all of you live. Your first mission is to infect the students of the DWMA with madness. It's simple, really. Just poison their drinks with black blood. Here is some to start with." He tossed a bottle of black liquid to us. Crona barely caught it before it could shatter on the ground.

"Let's get started!~" I dragged Crona out the door. Before it shut behind us, I heard Mr. Maddy say,

"Soon, Death City will be mine..."

**~Dun dun dun! Anyways, I was wondering if I should start a series of one-shots...but I don't know if I should...should I? It doesn't have to be for Soul Eater. It could be for Naruto, Bleach, Fruits Basket, Vampire Knight, My Little Monster...What do you guys think?~**


	10. Hello, DWMA!

**~I can't believe that we're on chappie 10 already! After this story, I am going to start another one for Fairy Tail! Am I the only one who ships Gray x Juvia or Lucy x Loke? Just wonderin' :P~  
**

Crona, Soul, and I stood outside the DWMA, ready to wreak havoc. We tried to contain our grins and giggles as we walked through the front doors. We would only have to bear through the morning classes before lunch. Then, we would ditch school and not even attend the afternoon ones.

For the first class, I decided to sit next to Kid. He was absentmindedly combing his hair when I got an _evil _idea. I snickered under my breath. _This is going to be fun! _Kid glanced over at me and raised his eyebrows.

"You don't normally sit next to me, Maka." he said, surprised.

"That's because I have a surprise for you, Kid-kun!" I used the most adorable voice I could muster. "Close your eyes!" His face got redder than a tomato, but he complied. I took out a sharpie, holding back an evil laugh. _Let's see how symmetrical you are when I'm done with you..._I drew a large, awkward seven on the right side of his forehead.

"What are you doing?" Kid asked hesitantly, opening his eyes. He took out a mirror. Before I knew it, he let out a loud, hellish scream. He fell to the floor in agony. "Asymmetrical garbage! Asymmetrical _garbage_!" he whimpered, holding his head in his hands. If he didn't die from a heart attack, he would surely drown in his own tears! I couldn't contain it anymore. I laughed so hard that I couldn't breathe. The whole class turned towards us in shock.

"Maka, would you care to explain what is going on?" Professor Stein glared at me. Something in me snapped.

"I wanted to talk to you on Friday, but you weren't at school! You might've been able to help me, but it's too late now! _I'm already whakadoodle!" _I cackled.

"Maka, you, Soul, and Crona are all coming with me." Stein replied, narrowing his eyes at me. Then I remembered what Crona had told us. Stein _knew _that the black blood still cursed us. However, he didn't do anything to save us! Isn't that hilarious?!

"Time to die, old man!"

**~So...how am I doing with the story so far? Do you guys like it? Should I change anything? Can I please have a cookie?~**


	11. Imprisonment

**~*looks at SernaJ with shining eyes and big bag of cookies* Thank you so much! Btw I will try to make my chapters longer.~**

_"Time to die, old man!"_

I lunged at Professor Stein, bringing my arm up for a punch. Right before my fist could make contact with his face, he ducked down and pulled my feet out from under me. He restrained me with ease.

"It looks like the black blood has already taken its toll." he mumbled to himself, tying me up. Sid and Marie rushed in to restrain Soul and Crona. In only a matter of minutes, we were all subdued. "Sorry for that, class. I'll be right back." Professor Stein carried all three of us.

"You're gonna regret this!" Soul snarled. His eyes shook with fury. All I could do at the moment was giggle maniacally. My mind was taken from me, and now my freedom. Isn't that hilarious?! No, my freedom was taken from me the second I succumbed to the madness. Well, there was nothing I could do about it. I was too far gone. Stein carried us down to the lower levels, where the cells were. He put all three of us in the same room before leaving us alone.

After about an hour, a realization dawned on me. I bawled my eyes out, burying my face in my hands. My entire body shook.

"They're going to kill us." I whispered frantically. "They can't cure the madness, it's too late! They'll have to kill us before this gets out of hand!" Crona looked at me with an unreadable expression. Soul just stared up at the ceiling.

"There's a cure for madness." the pink haired boy walked over to me. He had a wild look in his eyes. "It's-" Suddenly, he fell to the floor. His body convulsed while I stared at him, horrified. He went limp when he lost consciousness.

"W-What just..." I trailed off, not knowing what to do. I crawled over to him and lied down next to him. In a moment of sanity, I buried my head in his shoulder and willed myself into slumber.

The murk formed a dark room. I was standing next to Mr. Maddy and another version of me. The other version was obviously insane.

"What did you do to Crona?" I glared at Mr. Maddy, my hands on my hips.

"He tried to give you information that is not yours to have. It's funny, really. He's always trying to fight against me so he can save you. However, I have complete control. He will die trying to make you sane." Mr. Maddy smirked.

"Stop..." I whimpered, my heart filled with longing. "Stop this...at least let me be with Crona! Let me love him in my last moments!"

"Ah, that is where you are mistaken. I will never let you have that."

"Why not?" I clenched my fists, my breathing uneven. "You already got what you wanted, so let me have this little freedom!"

"Never..." The murk faded.

I woke up slowly, tears sliding down my cheeks. I wiped them away before sitting up. Crona sat in the corner of the room, shaking. _Why is he over there instead of next to me? _I stood up and walked towards him. His eyes widened when he saw me. I reached my hand towards him.

"Maka, don't-" his voice was cut off by my scream as my hand was shocked. My hand shook as I looked at the burnt flesh. _So now I can't even get near him..._My knees gave up on me and I fell to the floor. _Why can't they just kill me already? I'm insane, and now I can't have the one thing I want. What's the point of living if everyone will be safer if you're dead? _Crona looked at me, a surprised expression on his face. I realized that I just said that out loud. "Maka..."

"Don't say my name." I said softly. "It makes my pain worse." That made him go silent, his lips pursed in frustration. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the prison. My eyes widened. My heart hammered in my chest, and I was filled with dread. _Are they really going to kill us? _Crona stood up, a sudden determination in his eyes. He wrapped his arms around me, getting terribly shocked in the process. _Is he trying to kill himself? No...he would never do that! _His face inched closer to mine. His grip on me tightened as he fought through the pain. I moved closer to him, me getting electrocuted as well. _We can do this...just one last kiss...there isn't anything I wouldn't do for it._ The madness fought vigorously against us, but in the end, we won. Our lips collided, and in that moment, I was sane again. We were on the brink of death from being shocked, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

**~Btw sorry that this is so late...:( Anyways, I might not be able to post for about two and a half weeks. I will try my best, though. Welp, thanks for reading! :)~**


	12. The Cure for Madness

**~Gah! I've been really busy for a while, so I couldn't post. Sorry this is so short! By the way, The Frost Chronicles is so amazing! If you haven't read it, my only response is: Read. It. ****_Now.~_**

"You're awake!" Soul, Crona, and Stein hovered over me. I sat up groggily.

"Where am I?" I mumbled, rubbing my head. I looked around to see that I was in a hospital room.

"You and Crona were electrocuted pretty badly, but you luckily survived." Stein explained. "The madness has been cured for the three of you." It took a minute for that to sink in.

"The madness is gone?" I asked, blinking back tears. My mind was my own again! The relief was almost too much to handle.

"About that..." Stein chuckled nervously. "You three have been cured, but the rest of Death City has been infected." My smile dropped. "However, you three need a rest before you help the DWMA with this. Think of it as a mini vacation of sorts." I looked over at Crona and Soul. They looked pretty on board with that idea.

"Fine," I sighed. "But I'm helping as soon as we get back." I got out of bed and stretched. "Where are we going?"

"You'll be staying at the beach for a few days." Stein replied. That didn't sound like such a bad idea. The sun on my skin, the sand between my toes...I hummed, walking towards the door.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" I asked. "Let's go!" The others laughed, following me out of the room. It seemed that everything would be alright...for now. We still had an entire city to save.

A few hours later, we finally arrived at the lake. We would be staying at a beach house owned by Soul's insanely rich family.

"I still feel bad about going on a vacation. I mean, we've caused so much trouble, and we need to save Death City as soon as possible." I said as we made our way to the house.

"Don't feel bad. Knowing Stein, there's probably a catch, which is _so uncool_." Soul replied. I nodded in agreement.

"I wonder what it is." Suddenly, I realized something. "Wait...Stein never told us how we got rid of the madness."

"Yeah..." Crona trailed off. The last thing I remembered was the kiss...and then everything was back to normal...sort of. There was definitely something that Stein was hiding from us. However, I allowed myself to enjoy this moment of peace. My skin welcomed the sun's warmth with open arms. I soft breeze blew the stray strands of hair out of my face. I let out a sigh, closing my eyes for a moment. _Everything will be alright..._

"Hey, Maka," Soul's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "I have to talk to you about something."

"What is it?"

"_Later_," he whispered, so quiet that only I could hear. I nodded in understanding. I was about to turn around when I saw something at his feet. There was a black snake with yellow arrows on it, about to sink its teeth into his flesh.

"Soul!" I pushed him out of the way, barely avoiding the creature myself. Luckily, it slithered away. I turned to Crona, who was as pale as a ghost.

"M-Medusa..."

**~Dun dun dun! Thanks for reading! :)~**


	13. Medusa

**~Me: "The Worst Mother Of the Century Award goes to...*drum roll*...Medusa!"**

**Medusa: "I'd like to thank the academy...the witch academy, that is, for teaching me the ways of evil. I'd like to ****_not _****thank Crona. If he was born a girl I wouldn't have a problem, but-"**

**Me: "That's enough talking for you. Anyways, your reward is: 1) The Shark Tank 2) The Spinning Target or 3) Locked up in a dark room with a bear! Audience, ****_you _****get to choose!"**

**Seriously, guys...what should her punishment be? I could write it as a one-shot or insert it in here as a fluff chapter...All you have to do is review Punishment #1, #2, or #3. Simple, no?~**

"Crona..." I put my hand on his shoulder. "If I'd have known that she'd be here..."

"N-No, Maka, i-it's okay," he replied. "D-Don't worry a-about it...W-We should just go b-back to the h-h-house." His teeth were chattering so much...I wrapped my arms around him.

"You know what?" I whispered in his ear. "You're getting payback, and I'll see to that." He hugged me back.

"T-Thank you..." he sighed. I reluctantly pulled away, and we started walking again.

When we got to the beach house, I was yet again amazed at how rich Soul's family was. There was an _indoor pool_ (Who needs one at the _beach_?) and a huge flat screen TV with a long couch surrounding it.

"So, what are we going to do now?" I asked.

"We should go swimming. That sounds cool," Soul replied, digging through his suitcase. He pulled out scythe-print swim trunks and smirked. "Hell yeah. I'll be right back," He went into the bathroom to change. Crona turned to me.

"C-Can I t-tell you something?" he asked, pulling at his sleeves. I nodded. He took a deep breath. "I-I-"

Suddenly, Black Star burst through the door. I pulled out my favorite dictionary and smiled menacingly. He paled, holding his hands up in defense.

"C'mon, Maka! Don't be so stiff! Tsubaki, Kid, Liz, Patty, and I all decided we should have a beach party with you guys!" he shouted. Seriously, that kid is _too dang loud_. I hesitated before putting the book back. The door opened, and everyone else came in. Kid shot me a harsh glare, which I definitely deserved. Drawing a 7 on his forehead was cruel. I stared at the ground in shame and slowly walked over to him.

"Eh...Sorry for what I did..." I mumbled. "That was...definitely uncalled for."

"Yes, it was," Kid replied. "However, you _were _insane at the time. It wasn't completely your fault." I let out a sigh of relief and gave him a hug.

"Thanks, Kid!" I exclaimed. I stepped back, smiling. "At least you're not mad at me...right?"

"I suppose not," He was about to say something else when a loud shriek echoed across the room. Tsubaki was surrounded by snakes. My breath caught in my throat. _Is Medusa here? _Speaking of the devil, er, _witch_, Medusa entered the room. She wore her infamous grin that chilled me down to the bone. Her hair connected in a braid in the front, and she still had her black hoodie. She didn't look like she had changed at all since the last time I had seen her. Her gaze swept over the room and fell on me.

"Dear _Maka_," The way she said my name sent a chill down my spine. "You're a strong girl, aren't you? And I've always wanted a daughter..." She walked over to me and put her hand on my shoulder. I shook it off almost instantly.

"I will _never _be your daughter. You disgust me," I spat.

"Is that any way to treat your dear mother?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. My hands twitched, aching to slap her. _You have to think, Maka. You can't just lash out. She has her snakes around Tsubaki._

"What you did to Crona is unforgivable." I was speaking my true feelings, and there was no way I was stopping there. "I won't let you lay a finger on him _ever again_."_  
_

"Oh, really?" She smiled, amused. "And why are you so sure of that?"

"Because _I love him_, and if you try to touch a hair on his head, you're going to regret it."

**~Yay! Maka sassed Medusa! In other news, I started a new fanfic(of Fairy Tail). If you haven't seen Fairy Tail, watch it. You won't regret it. Anyways, thanks for reading! :)~**


	14. Forced Adoption

**~Hey, there! :)~**

"Is that a threat, little girl?" Medusa raised her eyebrows.

"No, it wasn't a threat. It was a friendly invitation to _get the hell out of here_." I looked to Soul, who nodded and changed into scythe form. I caught him easily. _We can do this..._I took a deep breath and calmed myself, despite my rattling heart. I wiped the sweat off of my forehead. "So, what'll it be?"_  
_

"If you take one single step towards me, Tsubaki will be as good as dead. Wait, no. Let's make this more interesting." Medusa didn't seem fazed at all. Her snakes slithered over to Crona in a split second. _No, she wouldn't dare...Wait, she would! She's pure evil! _My hands shook, and I glared at the witch. _I feel so powerless! _"Now, come with me and be my daughter, and no one will get hurt."

"Okay," I said softly. "I'll be your-"

"Maka, don't do it!" Crona shouted. "She'll do terrible things...experiments, torture-" He screamed as one of the snakes bit him. Anger flared through me.

"You told me you wouldn't hurt him!" I growled.

"He was being bothersome." Medusa rolled her eyes, sighing. "Now, Maka, come with me, and he won't die. I'll give him the antidote as soon as you agree."

"Okay, okay! I'll be your daughter!" I nearly screamed it. I couldn't lose Crona, and if it was my fault...I wouldn't be able to live with it. Medusa smiled, knowing that she was yet again victorious. _I just hope that she doesn't hurt my friends...She can mess with me, my hopes and dreams, but not those I love. _I walked over to her. Her snakes slithered away from Crona and up her arm. I shivered. _I hate those stupid reptiles. _She grabbed my arm, and one of her snakes tattooed itself there. My skin burned, and I screamed from the pain. I glanced over at Crona. "Wait...you told me that you would give him the antidote!"

"I lied," Medusa smirked. "He'll probably be dead by sundown. Now, come, my daughter," With a snap, we were gone. We were teleported to a familiar looking mansion.

"This is where Mr. Maddy took me..." I trailed off.

"Yes, this is _my _mansion. I told him to bring you three here. Unfortunately, he let you leave without my permission."

"Wait, so _you _caused all of this madness?" I asked accusingly.

"Yes, my dear," She replied, "But it was all for a grand prize..."

"And that is?" I wanted the answer so badly. My heart pounded in my chest, and I almost forgot to breathe. Medusa didn't respond. _Why isn't she saying anything? _"You've already poisoned my friend, so just tell me why you've done all of this!" My voice cracked. _Crona...he's going to die...and it's all my fault..._"I hate you, Medusa! I hate you with all the strength I can muster! If I could, I would kill you on the spot!" I yelled until my throat was numb. I ran upstairs, vigorously wiping away my tears. I burst through the bedroom door and locked it behind me after flicking on the lights. I threw myself on the bed and cried into the pillow until I had no strength left. _Please don't die, Crona...You can't leave me..._I drifted into a dreamless sleep.

When I awoke, I felt a cold hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Medusa sitting next to me on the bed. I flinched away from her...tender touch. The kind of touch that a mother would give their child. The kind of touch that she should've treated Crona with. _Is he even alive right now? _A numbness filled my heart. _No..he's probably dead..._

"What do you want?" I asked bitterly.

"I wanted to explain to you why I did all of this." She said softly. "You see, the prize was..._you_."

**~Dun dun dun! Sorry for not posting for a while :(. Anyways, thanks for reading!~**


	15. The Prize

**~Here's the 15th chappie! :) I can't believe I've passed 10,000 words(about 40 book pages)...For a present, I'm giving you guys...*drum roll*...a one shot! Yay! It can be any pairing from any anime...just review what you want it to be! :)~**

My heart skipped a beat. _What? I'm the prize? That doesn't make any sense! What's so special about me? _I sat up, dazed and confused.

"Maka, you have incredible talent and skill. Once I turn you into a witch, you'll be the perfect daughter...and ally," Medusa replied.

"Turn me into a witch? Is that even possible?" I asked. I got up, wanting to be as far away from Medusa as possible. Then I remembered. _Crona_. "What happened to Crona?" Most of me didn't want to know the answer. _I know he's dead...I shouldn't even be asking..._I refused to make eye contact with the witch, wishing that none of this had ever happened.

"He's alive," When Medusa said this, I was shocked. _She's lying..._"I know how much you care about him, so I saved him for you. You are my daughter, Maka, so I want you to be happy."

"What a load of crap!" I shouted, anger pulsing through my veins. "You never wanted Crona to be happy! What, do you love me more than your own dang son? That's _great_..." My voice dripped with sarcasm at the last sentence. Medusa rose her eyebrows and let out an amused chuckle.

"No, I don't love you more than him. Witches can't _love, _my dear. Once I turn you into one, you won't care about your precious boyfriend. He'll be nothing more than a toy to you. He'll still love you, but-"

"Shut _up _already!" I got off of the bed and made a beeline to the door. I swung it open and ran down the stairs. However, there was only a wall where the door should be. My heart thudded in my chest, and my lungs begged for air. _Where's the front door? Is there any way out of this house now? _I went down the hallway without looking ahead of me. I bumped into something and fell back. Arms wrapped around me, keeping me from hitting the hard ground. "Who?"

"I-It's me, Maka," Crona whispered in my ear soothingly. I relaxed in his warm embrace.

"You really _are _alive..." I trailed off. I gave him a kiss on the cheek, which caused a small blush to form. "You have no idea how worried I was. Medusa said that-"_  
_

"There you are, my child." Speaking of the devil, Medusa gave me a warm smile that made my stomach turn. "Don't run off like that. You worried me, you know. Anyways, you need to help me make the potion that will turn you into a witch." _How can she expect me to help her with that? She's crazy! I'll never do it! _Medusa grinned, as if she could read my thoughts. "If you don't help me, that will just make the process more painful for you. Or, do I have to threaten a life again?"

"D-Don't do it, M-Maka..." Crona's teeth were chattering. "If you become a witch, you won't be able to love, a-and you not l-loving me is w-worse than any p-pain I could possibly f-feel! I-I'd rather f-face Medusa!" I looked at him in shock. _Even though he's scared to death of his own mother, he'd face her...for me?__  
_

"That can be arranged," Medusa chuckled. "At midnight tonight, Crona and I will have a duel outside. He can fight with Ragnarok, of course. If he wins, you and him can leave this mansion safely. If he loses, he will die, and you will become a witch." With that, she snapped her fingers and disappeared. _Crona and Medusa...having a duel? _I turned to Crona. He held his head up high, unafraid of what was to come. He took my face in his hands and looked me straight in the eye.

"For once, I don't feel afraid. I feel strong. Don't tell me to back out of this, Maka. Just support me. _Please_," He pulled me in close and rested his head in the crook of my neck. I nodded, breathing in the scent of soft vanilla. _Of course Crona naturally smells amazing. So unfair...__  
_

"I'll support you, no matter what you do...unless it's leaving me, of course." I smiled, enjoying this moment of peace.

"I-I'll never leave you...never..."

* * *

Medusa, Crona, and I ate dinner in silence. _I believe in you, Crona...I know you can do this..._I mentally cheered him on, because I was too afraid to say anything in front of Medusa. _I'm so pathetic...I can't face my simplest of fears...not even for Crona..._A lump formed in my throat. _I should be the one facing Medusa, not him! He's done enough kindness for me...I just hate feeling so weak! _Tears brimmed my eyes, and I didn't stop them.

"Maka?" Crona broke the silence. "Are you okay?"

"No," I shook my head. _I don't care anymore...I'm going to give Medusa a piece of my mind!_ "I should be helping you face Medusa...we're in this together!" I looked up at the witch. "I have no words that could describe how terrible you are...neglecting your child, hurting him as if he wasn't your own flesh and blood!" I stood up. "I will do everything in my power to see you fail...You may have the upper hand, but what goes up has got to fall." I took Crona's hand in mine. "Come on, I can't stand to even look at her." He nodded silently, following me out of the room.

Hours passed by, not a word spoken from either Crona nor I. We were too nervous to talk. Doubt started to flood my mind. _What if Medusa's too powerful? What if...Crona dies? _I tried to rid my mind of these thoughts, but they kept plaguing me. I led Crona outside, to where Medusa stood. I looked up at the sky to see a full moon. _Full moon...midnight...she's at her powers' peak. _

"Let's begin, shall we?"

**~I've been waiting all month to start writing Medusa vs Crona...and now the day has come...Anyways, thanks for reading! :)~**


	16. Mother and Son

**~About the one-shot...if you guys don't tell me what pairing you want, I can't write about it. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, then you didn't read the A/N in the last chappie.~**

_"Let's begin, shall we?"_

Crona took out Ragnarok, his stance strong and steady. _You can do this...I know you can..._I wanted to cheer him on, but I wasn't sure whether or not that would distract him. _Who's going to make the first move? _My question was answered when Crona lunged unexpectedly at Medusa. She smirked, as if she had anticipated this. He brought down his sword, but it barely cut her arm before she jumped back. She sent out black arrows that sliced up his skin.

"I've raised you ever since you were born, and this is the best you can do?" Medusa smiled smugly at his bleeding form. "What a shame." Crona grit his teeth and charged forward again. He did the same thing, except at the last moment, he swept her legs out from under her.

"Yeah! Go, Crona!" I pumped my fist in the air, and he gave me a small smile. He put his sword at Medusa's neck. She didn't fight him, which surprised me. She just looked up at me and-

* * *

"Maka!" I watched in horror as her body froze to stone. Her eyes looked so lifeless...I didn't know how to deal with it, so I put my head in my hands. "W-What did you d-do to her?" My teeth chattered and my eyes shook. My mind threatened to break. "Ch-change her back!"

"I won't do that until you agree that I've won," she replied, giving me a nasty grin. "If not, I'll smash her to pieces." She got up and brushed herself off nonchalantly. _I-I hate how c-casual she is about t-this! _I gripped my fists and glared at her.

"Y-You wouldn't do that! She's y-your prize, so you w-wouldn't kill her..." I was unsure about the words I spoke. _M-Medusa's a m-monster! Who knows w-what she would d-do?_ She chuckled and shook her head, as if I was a silly, naive boy.

"There are other girls that would be great witches. It would be a shame if I have to kill Maka, but I will. It's your choice." Medusa walked over to where her statue stood. A hammer materialized in her hand. "One..." I shook my head, tears streaming down my cheeks. "Two..." Images flashed through my mind. _Freezing cold, standing on Maka's doorstep. Her giving me a blanket to keep me warm, helping me through the difficult nights. Us, arms wrapped around each other, lips inches apart. I can't lose that..._I walked towards Medusa without her noticing. _Maka, crazed and confused, crying with me in a cell. Fighting against madness itself for one last kiss..._"Three!" Medusa raised the hammer. I clenched my fist and sent it flying towards her face in one, jaw-busting punch. She flew backwards and landed on the cold, hard ground.

"_Don't._" I walked over to Medusa and put my foot on her throat. "_T__ouch._" I lifted it, ready to deliver a world of hurt. "_Maka!_" I slammed my foot down onto the grass. _Wait...what? _Medusa was no longer there. I heard a sharp intake of breath and whirled around to see Maka, full of life again. I ran over to her and wrapped my arms around her. "Y-You're okay!"

"Yeah, I am," She gave me a warm smile that melted my heart. "And it's all thanks to _you_!" She poked my nose. _She's okay...she's alive...and she's mine...there's nothing more I could possibly ask for...except..._I pressed my lips against hers, causing her to gasp in surprise. They were so soft and sweet...I couldn't get enough...When we finally separated, she giggled, blushing crazily. "Crona!"

"W-What?" I asked innocently. _She's so cute when she's flustered like this. _She grinned and slapped my arm playfully.

"Why has it taken you so long to kiss me like that?" _She's had a near-death experience, but she's still as laid back as ever...I wonder if I could fluster her more..._

"D-Do you w-want me t-to kiss you like t-that a-again?" I replied shyly, rubbing my arm.

"Crona! Stop being so darn adorable!" She scolded me.

"I-I'll take that a-as a y-yes..."

**~I hope that changing the POV to Crona's didn't confuse anyone. By the way, did you guys like the fight scene? I know it was really short...but...it was my first time writing something like that. P.S. I kinda want to write a Hetalia fanfic (I'll wait until this story is done, though). Anyways, thanks for reading! :)~**


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